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arXiv:2608.17984

High-Harmonicity Planar Penning Traps for Single-Electron Qubits

Kedar Mal, A. N. Agnihotri, Sugam Kumar, Wolfgang Quint, Manuel Vogel

quant-phphysics.atom-phSubmitted Aug 18, 2026• Announced Aug 19, 2026• 0 citations
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Abstract

We present a detailed account of the design choices required for planar Penning traps that feature a highly harmonic confining potential. High harmonicity is indispensable for a number of applications, particularly for confinement of single electrons as qubits in quantum-information processing. The present work extends previous studies [D. Goldmann and G. Gabrielse, Phys. Rev. A 81, 052335 (2010)] by a fully analytic treatment of finite electrode gaps and their relevance for small traps on the millimetre size scale and below, when relative gap sizes are non-negligible. We derive the overall trap potential with a particular focus on different models of finite-gap potentials and show how to find the optimum trap geometry and electrode voltages to minimize anharmonicities. The analytic calculations are compared with detailed finite-element simulations.

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We present a detailed account of the design choices required for planar Penning traps that feature a highly harmonic confining potential. High harmonicity is indispensable for a number of applications, particularly for confinement of single electrons as qubits in quantum-information processing. The present work extends previous studies [D. Goldmann and G. Gabrielse, Phys. Rev. A 81, 052335 (2010)] by a fully analytic treatment of finite electrode gaps and their relevance for small traps on the millimetre size scale and below, when relative gap sizes are non-negligible. We derive the overall trap potential with a particular focus on different models of finite-gap potentials and show how to find the optimum trap geometry and electrode voltages to minimize anharmonicities. The analytic calculations are compared with detailed finite-element simulations.
The new generation of planar Penning traps promises to be a flexible and versatile tool for quantum-information studies. Here, we propose a fully controllable and reversible way to change the typical trapping harmonic potential into a double-well potential, in the axial direction. In this configuration a trapped particle can perform coherent oscillations between the two wells. The tunneling rate, which depends on the barrier height and width, can be adjusted at will by varying the potential difference applied to the trap electrodes. Most notably, tunneling rates in the range of kHz are achievable even with a trap size of the order of 100100100 $\ensuremath{\mu}$m.
We discuss quantum information processing with trapped electrons. After recalling the operation principle of planar Penning traps we sketch the experimental conditions to load, cool and detect single electrons. Here we present a detailed investigation of a scalable scheme including feasibility studies and the analysis of all important elements, relevant for the experimental stage. On the theoretical side, we discuss different methods to couple electron qubits. We estimate the relevant qubit coherence times and draw implications for the experimental setting. A critical assessment of quantum information processing with trapped electrons is concluding the article.
Quantum computers have the potential to solve problems far beyond the reach of classical computers by using the principles of superposition and entanglement. However, existing platforms face challenges such as short coherence times, interference from the environment, and difficulties in scaling up.Trapped electrons in a planar Penning trap offer a promising alternative. Unlike other qubits, electrons do not interact with nuclear spins, which helps maintain quantum states for much longer. Additionally, their strong confinement allows for fast and precise quantum operations. In our approach, electron spins serve as logical qubits, while their motional states are used for entanglement. Our setup consists of 2-dimensional array of micro-sized Penning traps fabricated on a ceramic chip, placed inside a 1T superconducting magnet and cooled in a dilution refrigerator to reach millikelvin temperatures. This extreme cooling reduces unwanted motion and makes it possible to entangle electron spins and perform quantum gates with high accuracy. At Inter-University Accelerator Centre (IUAC), New Delhi, India, we are developing a prototype planar Penning trap. This new system offers a stable, scalable, and high-coherence platform for quantum computing.
A one-electron qubit would offer a new option for quantum information science, including the possibility of extremely long coherence times. One-quantum cyclotron transitions and spin flips have been observed for a single electron in a cylindrical Penning trap. However, an electron suspended in a planar Penning trap is a more promising building block for the array of coupled qubits needed for quantum information studies. The optimized design configurations identified here promise to make it possible to realize the elusive goal of one trapped electron in a planar Penning trap---a substantial step toward a one-electron qubit.
A number of alternative designs are presented for Penning ion traps suitable for quantum information processing (QIP) applications with atomic ions. The first trap design is a simple array of long straight wires, which allows easy optical access. A prototype of this trap has been built to trap Ca+ and a simple electronic detection scheme has been employed to demonstrate the operation of the trap. Another trap design consists of a conducting plate with a hole in it situated above a continuous conducting plane. The final trap design is based on an array of pad electrodes. Although this trap design lacks the open geometry of the other traps described above, the pad design may prove useful in a hybrid scheme in which information processing and qubit storage take place in different types of trap. The behaviour of the pad traps is simulated numerically and techniques for moving ions rapidly between traps are discussed. Future experiments with these various designs are discussed. All of the designs lend themselves to the construction of multiple trap arrays, as required for scalable ion trap QIP.